Defence Headquarters said on Tuesday that scores of terrorists and some of their notorious leaders were neutralized in March during fierce battles across the seven theatres in the country.
The military also said that 1,359 suspected terrorists were arrested; 813 kidnapped civilians were rescued while197 insurgents surrendered to troops.
Director of Defence Media Operation, DDMO, Major General Michael Onoja disclosed this in Abuja at the monthly press briefing on the activities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in the first quarter of this year.
He said that troops recovered 458 arms and 15,899 rounds of ammunition from the insurgents and criminals.
While 101 illegal refining sites were dismantled in the South South zone and over 547,920 litres of stolen petroleum products recovered .
He said troops operations in the first quarter represents a significant degradation of criminal and terrorist operational capacity nationwide.
“First Quarter of 2026 demonstrated the unwavering resolve, professionalism, and gallantry of the men and women of the Armed Forces of Nigeria,” adding that”across seven operational theatres, the AFN delivered measurable strategic outcomes”
The director said that troops operations were being felt by terrorists. “Notably, the confirmation by ISWAP of the death of senior Shura Council member Abu Yahya Al-Muhajir attests to the irreversible impact of AFN’s sustained kinetic operations on the group’s command structure.”
While stating that the AFN reaffirms its commitment to operating in strict accordance with its rules of engagement, international humanitarian law, the Geneva Conventions, and all applicable legal frameworks, the director maintained that “ongoing operations will be further intensified to decisively dismantle all remaining criminal and terrorist elements.”
The AFN continues to monitor the activities of non-state actors and will hold them accountable, he assured.
He urged the public to remain vigilant and continue to report suspicious activities to security agencies.